Processes for improving efficiency of light emitting diodes

Abstract

A process for improving the external quantum efficiency of a light emitting diode (LED) is provided by exposing one or more components of an LED, a partially assembled LED, or a completely assembled LED to an amount of hydrogen or hydrogen gas, or to an atmosphere containing higher quantities of hydrogen or hydrogen gas for a period of exposure time. Kits and processes for constructing a light emitting diode having an improved external quantum efficiency is further provided, which includes exposing one or more components of an LED, a partially assembled LED, or a completely assembled LED to an amount of hydrogen or hydrogen gas, or to an atmosphere containing higher quantities of hydrogen or hydrogen gas for a period of exposure time.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for improving the efficiency of a light emitting diode (LED), the method comprising: exposing one or more completely assembled LED after assembly to an amount of hydrogen or hydrogen gas, or to an atmosphere containing higher quantities of hydrogen or hydrogen gas, wherein said exposing occurs for a period of exposure time. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein said amount of hydrogen is a mixture of hydrogen gas and at least one other gas. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein said hydrogen concentration is less than 20%. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein said period of exposure time is at least thirty minutes. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising baking said one or more completely assembled LED for a period of baking time. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said period of baking time is at least thirty minutes, at least twelve hours, or at least twenty four hours. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein said baking occurs at a temperature less than 150° C. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein said one or more completely assembled LED is a quantum dot LED (QD-LED). 
     
     
       9. A method for constructing a light emitting diode, the method comprising:
 obtaining one or more components of an LED after said one or more components have completed their respective fabrication process; 
 exposing said one or more components of an LED to an amount of hydrogen, wherein said exposing occurs for a period of component exposure time; 
 assembling said one or more exposed components to form a partially assembled LED after said period of component exposure time is completed; and 
 exposing said partially assembled LED to an amount of hydrogen; 
 wherein said one or more components of the LED is selected from the group consisting of a glass cover, quantum dots, nanoparticles, a quantum dot layer, a nanoparticle layer, a cathode, an electron transport layer, an emission layer, a hole transport layer, a hole injection layer, an anode, a substrate, one or more an intermediate layers, one or more metal layers, or combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein said emission layer comprises quantum dots. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein said amount of hydrogen is a mixture of hydrogen gas and at least one other gas. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  wherein said hydrogen concentration is less than 20%. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9  wherein said period of exposure time is at least thirty minutes. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 9  further comprising baking said one or more components of an LED or partially assembled LED, or completely assembled LED for a period of baking time. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9  wherein said period of baking time is at least thirty minutes. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 9  further comprising assembling said partially assembled LED with one or more said exposed components to form a completely assembled LED and exposing said completely assembled LED to an amount of hydrogen.